STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It was a momentary scuffle during the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Parade on Sunday, but questions remain and hard feelings linger over the rights of gays to march openly in the borough’s largest event.

Among those asking the questions are members of the Young Democrats of Richmond County, who got into a confrontation with parade marshal Dennis McKeon after calling attention to their support of gay rights by wearing postage-stamp-sized rainbow lapel pins.

The group was trying to show solidarity with members of Staten Island Pride Events (SIPE), who were told they couldn’t carry a banner or otherwise identify themselves as a gay rights group while marching because it would run counter to Catholic teachings on homosexuality.

SIPE did not march and took their complaint to openly gay City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who boycotted the Island parade.

Lawmakers yesterday said that parade organizers should look at relaxing the prohibition, but they stopped short of saying that public funding should be withheld from the parade committee.

The parade committee gets thousands of taxpayer dollars each year through Borough Hall and the Council.

State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) said that in addition to being a celebration of Irish culture, the parade also celebrates America’s status as the world’s melting pot.

"And not just culturally, but in terms of lifestyle too," she said, adding that she was unaware of the fracas while she was marching.

Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) also questioned whether funds should be withheld for the popular parade.

"It’s very important for Staten Islanders to know that I’ve been marching in that parade as a proud, openly gay Staten Islander since 2006," he said. "I’ve never felt anything other than welcome."

But gay rights activists said that the question of government funding should be looked into.

"That’s a good point," said Ralph Vogel of the Staten Island LGBT Community Center, Tompkinsville.

He said he hoped the prohibition on gay banners would be relaxed in time for next year’s parade.

"We should be able to march as Irish people, as gay people, as Staten Islanders," Vogel said.

Ms. Quinn also said that gay Islanders should be allowed to march openly.

James Haynes III, chairman of the parade committee, said the group would look into the possibility of relaxing the restriction "in the near future."

Meanwhile, those involved in Sunday’s confrontation continued to trade their version of events.

McKeon said that organizers had told SIPE to come back before the parade and discuss things with them further and that the group was not banned from marching. He said group members did not return.

"I assumed they didn’t want to be in the parade," he said.

McKeon is not the same Dennis McKeon who runs the Where to Turn advocacy group on the Island.

Haynes confirmed that he expected SIPE to continue talking about the situation.

McKeon claimed that the Young Democrats "violated the conditions of the parade" by allowing SIPE members to march with them, but Young Democrats president Amy Lavelle said that no SIPE members were part of their contingent.

"According to the parade rules, we did nothing wrong," she said.

SIPE did not return Advance phone calls seeking comment.

The Young Democrats said McKeon confronted them before the parade stepped off, saying that he didn’t want them displaying any pro-gay banners. He approached them again later along the route, they said.

"He starts yelling at us like crazy, going off on a tangent, saying we need to get rid of the gay stuff or else we will be removed from the parade," said Young Democrats secretary Samantha Giordano, who said that the group did not have any such banners with them.

Ms. Giordano said McKeon marched next to the group along the route, with the NYPD on the other side.

"Sure I marched with them," McKeon said. "I wanted to make sure they didn’t unveil any banners." He said he also told police about the situation.

Young Democrat Dominick DeRubbio said that at one point McKeon pushed club member St. Jermaine Endeley in an attempt to get him off the route.

Endeley was not injured. A video of the incident is posted on silive.com, the Advance’s home on the Web.

"It’s so silly," said DeRubbio. "We just want to participate in the parade and march like everyone and celebrate our Irish heritage."

McKeon said the Young Democrats "can say what they want about pushing and shoving." He also claims the people in the Young Democrats group "sexually harassed" him.

"They were blowing kisses at me," he said.

Ms. Lavelle said she heard nothing of that nature.

No arrests were made.

Haynes said the parade committee is looking into the incident.

"It’s bad for the parade," he said. "The parade is to honor St. Patrick."

The Young Democrats caught flak last week when they questioned whether the Staten Island Tea Party or any other political club was allowed to march. There is no prohibition on political groups marching.

McKeon is the father of Tea Party organizer Lorraine Scanni, but none of those involved in the episode said that the fracas had anything to do with the political group.